The 1st training activity of Agrifood Leadership 2025–2026 was successfully completed from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 November 2025 in Veria, marking the official launch of the new cycle (2025–2026) of the only leadership education program for the agrifood sector in Greece.
Agrifood Leadership 2025–2026 is implemented by New Agriculture New Generation, through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and is carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Technical and Strategic Advisor of the program is Rutgers University (USA). Supporter of the 1st training activity was the Association of Imathia’s Agricultural Cooperatives.
Training in Modern Leadership & Experiential Learning
During the 1st training activity, participants had the opportunity to be introduced to the basic principles of leadership and take part in a comprehensive experiential learning experience designed to cultivate the skills and attitudes essential for today’s agrifood professionals.
The trainer of the session was Mr. Ioannis Mavrokoridis, a specialized Corporate Executive Trainer. Through targeted activities, real-case analyses, behavioral-type workshops and modern participatory learning methods, participants engaged with various dimensions of leadership and laid the foundation for developing their own personal leadership identity.
Visit to the Facilities of the Association of Imathia’s Agricultural Cooperatives
A key part of the program was the visit to the facilities of the Association of Imathia’s Agricultural Cooperatives, where participants became acquainted with a successful and modern model of cooperative operation, production, and extroversion.
During the visit, an open discussion was held with Mr. Christos Giannakakis, Vice President of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Greece, who shared experiences and valuable insights on leadership, cooperative operations, and current challenges in the agricultural sector. At the same time, participants had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, who emphasized the importance of developing high-caliber human capital and the need to empower a new generation of leaders in the agrifood industry.
A Growing Community of Leaders
The 1st training activity brought together the new cohort of participants, laying the groundwork for a dynamic community, one that has been built and evolving over the past three years, confirming the program’s ability to foster strong relationships, collaborations, and knowledge networks.
Supporters of the upcoming training activities include: Ioannina Agricultural Poultry Cooperative PINDOS, The Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association, COMPO EXPERT Hellas and Lidl Hellas.
